Tinker Around

Welcome to my blog. It is full of basic projects and tutorials for things that I have done and feel like others out there would benefit from learning too. Be sure to take time to leave me a comment. Thanx, Pam

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Painting a Checkerboard without a Stencil

Painting a checkerboard without a stencil is quite easy, just need to have some painters tape on hand. Let's face it, with a stencil...you get just that size of checkerboard. My way, you can make any size you want by just measuring the lines off wider or more narrow. There are lots of pictures this week, and really...that is really all you need!

In this first picture, you can see that I have put down the outer boarder of tape along the top left. Very basic.

Now, I want to measure everything off to make sure it is perfectly straight. Let's do this right and make sure the square are really square. The little pieces of tape represent squares, and I know that if I put a strip across there it will be even. It is like using a ruler and marking off inches, but I am just using the width of the tape instead.

See, there is the tape, all nice and straight. Now, I have started to do the little squares for the vertical line.

Vertical line is put in next. Almost ready to paint! I have to remove the little tabs of tape, and get rid of the extra on the inside corner. You can use and exacto and ruler to get this nice and squared.

I paint the entire area in the lighter color and then let it dry...step away and let it dry! Just ask my students, I am one of the most impatient crafters around, LET IT DRY!!! I won't put this in each section, BUT you MUST let each section dry before you put the tape down or you will pull up all the half dried paint and have a mess!!!

Time to measure off each row with little pieces of tape so that I am sure the lines are straight. I want to start putting in the checkerboard. See how I put down a piece of tape to measure by and then put down the entire stripe and remove the little piece? Do this all over the blocked off section.

I can start putting in my darker second color after it is all taped off. Yes, that top right section still has to be taped off. And, if you will paint from the tape towards the center of each block, you won't get all those little hairy lines where the paint got up under your tape.

I think that the fun starts now, the revealing part. Pull up the inside tape to reveal your black squares.

This is the easiest part...move the tape so that the black squares are all covered.

I know that you have already figured out what is next...Paint these areas in your darker color.

Take off the tape, and admire your handiwork!!! What a great job. No stencil to wash and store either. I am painting little flowers and a ribbon on this plaid area. This is actually a little child size bench that opens from the top. Maybe I will include a picture of it on my website when I get it finished. http://picturetrail.com/tinkartist

I will post all my upcoming shows on next weeks blog so that you can mark your calendar! Also, I will be in New London, Texas painting with Maureen McNaughton at the end of the month, so watch for those pictures to be coming to the blog soon too. Have a great week and check back in with me in a couple of weeks! - Pam